2 May 2021

By Göran R Buckhorn

On Saturday, Zagreb’s Jarun Lake offered warm temperatures and only a slight wind for the finals of the World Cup I. Sunday’s finals were cancelled due to a forecast of high winds. These finals were also raced on Saturday.

The medals were spread over many countries, including the host nation, Croatia, which took two gold and two bronze medals. In the single sculls Oliver Zeidler showed good form. The German seemed so relaxed from start to finish as if he was out for a weekend paddle. Norway’s Kjertil Borch took the silver medal, redeeming himself after his last place in the European Championships three weeks ago. Damir Martin, of Croatia, came in third.

In the women’s single sculls, Austria’s Magdalena Lobnig won the gold medal, Kristyna Fleissnerova, of the Czech Republic, took the silver and Jovana Arsic, of Serbia, the bronze.

On a personal note, I was pleased the see Sweden’s Lovisa Claesson taking the fourth place. Last week, Lovisa Claesson, who is coached by her father, Per Olof Claesson, was selected by the Swedish Olympic Committee to represent her country in the single sculls at the Tokyo Olympics this summer.

Read more about the World Cup races on Worldrowing.com, here.